stubborn as a mule
(redirected from obstinate as a mule)(as) stubborn as a mule
Extremely reluctant or unwilling to change a particular opinion, behavior, or course of action, especially when faced with opposition. My toddler is as stubborn as a mule, and he'll throw a tantrum any time he doesn't get what he wants. You'll never get Rich to change his opinion—he's stubborn as a mule. I know the boss is stubborn as a mule, but I think we've got enough evidence here to convince him to change course on this project.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
*stubborn as a mule
and *obstinate as a muleCliché very stubborn. (*Also: as ~.) I tried to convince Jake to go to the doctor, but he's as stubborn as a mule. For four years, Henry pestered his parents to let him learn the trumpet. They tried to talk him into some other, quieter instrument, but he was stubborn as a mule, and now he has a trumpet.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
stubborn as a mule
Extremely obstinate, as in He's stubborn as a mule about wearing a suit and tie. This simile evokes the proverbial stubbornness of mules, whose use as draft animals was once so common that the reputation for obstinacy can hardly be as warranted as the term indicates. [Early 1800s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
stubborn as a mule
If someone is as stubborn as a mule, they are determined to do what they want and very unwilling to change their mind. For all his pleasant manner, the Texan was stubborn as a mule, and he didn't like being pushed. Old Greg is also stubborn as a mule. He won't say anything — he'll just carry on doing what he planned. Note: This expression is usually used to show disapproval.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
stubborn as a mule
extremely stubborn. informalFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
(as) ˌstubborn as a ˈmule
(often disapproving) very determined not to change your opinion or attitude; obstinate: If you tell her what to do, she won’t do it because she’s as stubborn as a mule. Why not just suggest it to her?Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
stubborn as a mule
Singularly obstinate. No one knows why mules in particular have been singled out for this quality, but they have, for centuries. “Contrary” and “obstinate” are other adjectives used in the simile, which became current in the early 1800s and remains so. The same is meant by the adjective mulish.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer